The Latest from Anthony Bourdain: A Graphic Novel Titled, Get Jiro!

Anthony Bourdain has been busy lately. He recently announced his new
show, set to air on CNN, where he will have the opportunity to travel to the
world's most exotic and out of the way places to experience food culture. Another
new development is that Bourdain's latest book is hitting stores next week, but
this one isn't a novel like his others. Instead, Bourdain has co-written a
graphic novel called Get Jiro!

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Delish had the chance to sit down with Bourdain at a book
release event and ask him a few questions about the project. Ultimately, Bourdain disclosed that he is really just a nerd at heart. When asked why he
decided on a graphic novel, Bourdain explained, "I wanted to be a comic book
artist." While he used to draw back in the day, Bourdain did not contribute to
the artwork for the book, but focused on writing instead.

So just what is Get
Jiro! about? The story takes place in a future Los Angeles where chefs have
significant power and rule like crime lords. The reader follows Jiro, a young but
talented sushi chef, who gets caught in the middle of a battle for control
between two warlord chefs (one classically trained and the other an advocate
for local food.)

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The book begins in typical Bourdain fashion, with Jiro
chopping off the head of one particularly ignorant customer after he has the
audacity to ask for a California roll. Although Bourdain doubts that this will be the future of the
restaurant world, he did jokingly express that, "I wouldn't be sorry to see a
few things" happen from the book. "I think if you're lucky enough to be in a
really good sushi bar and you're abusing Nigiri like those three yokels in the
first scene, I guess I wouldn't be entirely displeased if something terrible
happened."

When it comes down to it, Bourdain may have been making a
few statements about the food world in the graphic novel, but his main goal was to have
a good time. "I do this for fun. I mean just because I'm a geek," he said.

The book is slated to hit comic stores on June 27th and bookstores on July 3rd.